Kiba Inuzuka
}} | english = }} is a supporting character in Naruto. He is part of Team 8. He and his nin-dog Akamaru fight together as a team. Personality Kiba is often short-tempered and impulsive, in stark contrast to his teammates Shino and Hinata, and can be prone to making mistakes when he is agitated in battle. The fact that he enjoys the company of combat, as well as a habit of showing a joyful smile when facing a particularly strong opponent (or under a predicament situation in the hands of one), strongly suggests that he's both a sadist and a masochist, as seen during his battle with Ukon and Sakon, where he was ready to take his own life to prevent one of them from completely destroying his body. He deeply cares for Akamaru, and is willing to do whatever is necessary to protect him. And despite his rather gruff attitude, many of Kiba's actions reveal that he's very close to his older sister, Hana Inuzuka, and remains fiercely loyal to the Inuzuka clan. Kiba often argues with Shino over what course of action the group should take, particularly when Shino advises caution. Kiba often sees himself as the group leader, and becomes offended at any of Shino's actions that he perceives as challenging his leadership. It seems as if there was a contest for the leadership of Team 8 during the Chunin Exams because Kiba says Hinata voted for him. Despite his disagreements with Shino, he considers Shino a friend, and respects his fighting capabilities. Kiba gets along well with Hinata, but tends to worry about her, urging her to be strong before the second phase of the exam, and forfeit rather than face a dangerous opponent. Kiba apparently loves to tease Hinata about her affections for Naruto. These teasing usually manifest themselves in tricking her that Naruto is near or just mentioning her reactions to him to other people, much to her embarrassment. Part I Chunin Exam Arc Although he appears before the Chunin Exams, it is where we first really know who he is. The Chunin Exams are where he takes his test with his teammates Shino Aburame and Hinata Hyuga. He uses Akamaru to find the answers during the first part of the test. During the second phase of the exam, while Team 8 easily takes an Earth scroll from a rival team, Kiba wishes to acquire yet another to narrow the competition, despite Shino and Hinata's reservations. In investigating a confrontation between two teams, they witness Gaara killing three Rain Genin, and Akamaru is traumatized by the sight. Kiba is matched against Naruto in the seventh match of the preliminaries. Kiba thinks that he will easily win, since Naruto was the worst student at the academy. Naruto then gets very annoyed at Kiba. While Kiba initially has an advantage due to his superior speed and strengthening Akamaru with a soldier pill, Naruto tricks him into knocking Akamaru unconscious, then after farting in Kiba's face(renderering his sense of smell useless ( and in a way paralyzing him), defeats him with the first use of Naruto Uzumaki Barrage. Kiba regains consciousness on the stretcher, and urges Hinata to forfeit if she is matched against Gaara or Neji Hyuga. A month later, at the finals, Kiba watches the match between Naruto and Neji with Hinata. He appears to have gained respect for Naruto at this point, as when he hears Izumo and Kotetsu doubting Naruto's abilities to win, Kiba remembers how he thought the same thing during his match with Naruto, and ended up losing. He also very loudly cheers for Naruto during the match. It is unknown for certain whether the reason that Kiba wants Naruto to win is because of his newfound respect for Naruto, or the fact that Kiba wants Neji to lose because the latter hurt Hinata, or a combination of both (which is the most likely explanation). After Kabuto heals Hinata when she begins coughing up blood, he renders Kiba unconscious (after Kiba starts to remember him), leaving him unable to assist Konoha's ninja in the invasion. Sasuke Retrieval Arc In the Sasuke Retrieval Arc, he is the only one on his team to assist the recovery effort, with Shino out on a mission and with Hinata not being recruited for an unknown reason. After Naruto seized the container holding Sasuke, a letter bomb (set by Akamaru) explodes and knocks Kiba, and Sakon and Ukon into a gorge. Kiba and Akamaru bravely fought against Sakon and Ukon, but despite using their Double Wolf Fang against the brothers, are ultimately outmatched. Kiba retreats with Akamaru, and both were eventually assisted by Kankuro, who trapped the brothers in Kuroari before impaling them with Karasu. Kiba was wounded with severe but not life-threatening lacerations, but Akamaru had suffered much harsher damage; tendons in all four of his legs were ripped. Filler Arcs Kiba commonly works with Naruto and Hinata in the filler arcs, often when Shino is absent. At one point, due to failing the Bikochu and Bounty Hunter missions, they are given a mission to test their teamwork, and told they will return to the academy if they fail. In the course of the mission, Kiba realizes that he and Naruto argue too much, and they put aside their differences to stop some ninja who have taken on their identities. Naruto, Kiba and Hinata succeed in their next mission together in the Cursed Haunted Castle arc. Kiba's relationship with Akamaru is highlighted in the Kiba's Long Day episode. After Akamaru is infected with a biological weapon that causes him to go berserk, Kiba believes that Naruto is trying to find and kill Akamaru, and attempts to take Akamaru out of Konoha. Kiba eventually stops resisting when he learns Naruto and Hana's true intentions, but is paralyzed by the prospect that their plan may still require them to kill Akamaru. He eventually regains his senses and appeals to Akamaru, causing Akamaru to regain enough of his true self to avoid killing Kiba, and allow him to administer the antidote. Part II When Naruto returns to Konoha after the rescuing of Gaara, Kiba appears riding on a much larger Akamaru, but says he didn't notice Akamaru's growth, due to spending so much time with him. When Naruto asks Kiba to go on a mission with him Kiba has to turn him down due to a mission he was already assigned. After Naruto left, Kiba teased Hinata to make her believe Naruto was behind her. Realizing he tricked her, he received a scolding from her and Shino. Fire Temple Filler Arc Later on Naruto and Team Kakashi were assigned a new mission, returning with Sora a fill in for Sai due to the latter's injuries. The team disbanded, leaving Naruto and Sora stuck together. Sora went somewhere and Naruto then found him in the park arguing with Akamaru. When Kiba saw this squabble, he angrily confronted Sora. Shikamaru and Choji saw them, and when Sora called Choji "Fatty" inciting him to join the fight. After a failed attempt by Naruto to calm the combatants, Lee joined into the fight, resulting in admonishment and dismissal from Asuma. Hunt for Uchiha Later, Kakashi forms the 8-Man Squad, which Team Kurenai became a part of the hunt for Itachi Uchiha. When the mission got sidetracked due to them being close to Sasuke's trail, Kiba manages to pick up on Sasuke's scent when even the ninja hounds are unable to, impressing Kakashi and allowing the eight-man squad to continue pursuing Sasuke. On the way however, they encountered Tobi of Akatsuki and preceded to do battle with him. They fight him, but can't land a single blow. The mission ends in failure when Tobi and Zetsu collect Sasuke before the 8-Man Squad manages to get there. Pain's Invasion When Pain began his invasion, he along with Choji, Shino, Ino, and Hinata saw the devestation. Other Media * Kiba Inuzuka is a playable character in the video game series "Naruto: Clash of Ninja." He appears only in 4 out of 7 games. * Kiba Inuzuka appears in Naruto: Rise of a Ninja for the Xbox 360 as Naruto's opponent in the Chunin Exams as well as a playable character in VS mode. Quotes * "One hit is all it will take." * "I think you and I just won the lottery, Akamaru!" * "Let's die together." * "I think I can trust this guy to take my back." * "Why do you always pass out when you see Naruto?!" (To Hinata as she secretly loves Naruto) * "Yahoo!"